Do you have questions about Traditional Judaism?

[Flankerl]

The Nazis weren't trying to wipe out most anyone else for the sole reason of their ethnicity.

This is so not the place to have this discussion but you are wrong according the the Generalplan Ost of the RSHA.

But it doesnt feel good to talk about it here so i'll leave it with this statement.

 

[Levite]

Hi everyone.

I have a question which I think is perhaps relevant in this thread. If I should go to another thread or move it please tell me tell me which thread I should go to.

I am a Christian, studying Islamic studies at University. There is another boy on my course who says he is Jewish. He is an atheist, but likes to lecture us all on the fact that Judaism can be a race or a religion, rather than what I was brought up on, that it is a race AND a religion. This isn't the problem however. Everything about him is London, British, anti-religious, etc. but when it comes to political debates he brings out the fact that he is Jewish and swings this fact around like a battle-axe. His mum is Jewish so this makes him Jewish, which he reminds us about alot. He comes out with emotional statements like "my whole family died in the holocaust" and "Everyone hates the Jews", and if anyone tries to say otherwise he simply uses the fact that "He is a Jew" and none of us feel like we can respond to him, even though everything about him is exactly the same as us, just his mum happens to be a Jew.
Personally I have found this affects me, as I have been brought up to respect everyone regardless of who or what they are, and even in the case of Judaism, as I am a Christian, I am close to Jews religiously. However, when my friend says what he says, it makes me feel like I am not allowed to talk about Jews, or can't say anything about them in a political or religious debate and I think the others in my class feel the same way. As Europeans, all our families suffered during the second world war, not just his, but he makes it seem as if his family were the worst done to and ours all turned their backs on his.
Does anyone have any recommendations about how I can approach him as a Jew who is not religious? Or can anyone give me any advice , perhaps if you yourself are a Jew on how I should deal with this, and how you feel?

Thanks very much, and this is my first post here so sorry if anything is wrong or not forum-like discussion.

On the one hand, your annoying friend is right: the Jews suffered uniquely in the Holocaust, and they have and still do experience significant anti-Semitism and anti-Jewish bigotry, all over the world. Including, unfortunately, in Britain. And, also unfortunately, this is the case whether a person is a religiously observant Jew or a secular "cultural" Jew.

On the other hand, it sounds like he is behaving in an extremely heavy-handed manner, and is being indiscriminately extremely defensive and sharp in his attitude. It sounds like he could benefit from re-thinking how he deals with others. There may be a time and a place for an aggressive tack in conversation, but it shouldn't be often and casual.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Does anyone have any recommendations about how I can approach him as a Jew who is not religious?

Absolutely! Have him join the forum so that we might hear his side of the story.

 

[jaybird]

do the Jews that do not accept Christianity do it because of Jesus and what He taught or the trinity doctrine?

 

[Akivah]

do the Jews that do not accept Christianity do it because of Jesus and what He taught or the trinity doctrine?

Who??

We follow Torah which only talks about One G-d. The name you mentioned doesn't appear there. Nor does Joseph Smith, Muhammad, or Vishnu.

 

[Moishe3rd]

do the Jews that do not accept Christianity do it because of Jesus and what He taught or the trinity doctrine?

Jews do not accept Jesus as a "messiah;" as a "god;" or as the "son of god." Period.
Christianity is based on the idea that Jesus was some kind of divine messenger.
According to the last 3,000 years of Torah, Jewish learning, and Jewish Law, he was not.

 

[Tumah]

do the Jews that do not accept Christianity do it because of Jesus and what He taught or the trinity doctrine?

I agree with the previous posters.
And would add that of course the trinity doctrine didn't help matters.

 

[RabbiO]

do the Jews that do not accept Christianity do it because of Jesus and what He taught or the trinity doctrine?

Based upon some of your other posts on the forum I am guessing that if the response you had received was tied solely to the doctrine of the trinity, you would have argued that the trinity doctrine is false and that there is no reason why Jews should not embrace Christianity, at least the type of Christianity, whatever that is, that you personally espouse.

As the responses you have received indicate, our rejection of Christianity is based on a variety of solid reasons that the short answers you have been given here merely touch upon. There are a number of resources, including websites that set forth those reasons in greater detail.

A final note, although those Jews who embrace Christianity arguably remain, on one level, Jews, they cannot really be called Jewish. There is a much better, more accurate, word to describe them. That word is Christians.

 

[jaybird]

Based upon some of your other posts on the forum I am guessing that if the response you had received was tied solely to the doctrine of the trinity, you would have argued that the trinity doctrine is false and that there is no reason why Jews should not embrace Christianity, at least the type of Christianity, whatever that is, that you personally espouse.

As the responses you have received indicate, our rejection of Christianity is based on a variety of solid reasons that the short answers you have been given here merely touch upon. There are a number of resources, including websites that set forth those reasons in greater detail.

A final note, although those Jews who embrace Christianity arguably remain, on one level, Jews, they cannot really be called Jewish. There is a much better, more accurate, word to describe them. That word is Christians.

Jesus taught from the Hebrew bible so it never made sense to me that Jews would reject that. i have always suspected the trinity may have been incorporated to be a divider between Jews and Christians.Constantine hated Jews with a passion, is it a coincidence he was one of the biggest trinity supporters and founders.

 

[metis]

Jesus taught from the Hebrew bible so it never made sense to me that Jews would reject that.

Reject what?

 

[jaybird]

Reject what?

Tanakh teachings.

 

[metis]

Tanakh teachings.

So, you say that Jews reject Tanakh teachings? Which teachings do you have in mind, these: http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm ?

 

[jaybird]

So, you say that Jews reject Tanakh teachings? Which teachings do you have in mind, these: http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm ?

Jesus Taught not to murder, He expanded on this teaching by adding not to hate your fellow man. the source teaching "dont murder" was not changed.

would you agree or disagree with this?

dont murder is a teaching in the Hebrew bible, Jesus taught on dont murder, and teachings like this is what i am referring to.

also i am referring to what Jesus taught and only what Jesus taught. not what churches say He taught.

 

[Tarheeler]

***MOD POST***

This thread is in the Judaism DIR, and debate by anyone is not allowed. Under Rule 10, non-members may ask respectful questions, but may not challenge the answers they receive from the members of the DIR.​

 

[jaybird]

***MOD POST***

This thread is in the Judaism DIR, and debate by anyone is not allowed. Under Rule 10, non-members may ask respectful questions, but may not challenge the answers they receive from the members of the DIR.​

sorry im still getting used to this, so confusing with all the debate and non debate zones. i was under the impression that message boards generally were a place to debate things.
please move to where ever it needs to go.

 

[Tarheeler]

sorry im still getting used to this, so confusing with all the debate and non debate zones. i was under the impression that message boards generally were a place to debate things.
please move to where ever it needs to go.

I'm not moving the thread anywhere; it belongs right where it is. If you wish to start a debate, you are free to do so in one of the areas of this forum that is set aside for it, such as Religious Debates or one of its subsections.

The DIR sections are set aside for use primarily by members of certain groups.

As you're new to our site, I'd suggest perusing the rules. And if you have questions, feel free to start a thread in Site Feedback, where staff can answer.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Jesus taught from the Hebrew bible so it never made sense to me that Jews would reject that. i have always suspected the trinity may have been incorporated to be a divider between Jews and Christians.Constantine hated Jews with a passion, is it a coincidence he was one of the biggest trinity supporters and founders.

This is the Judaism DIR. Please offer your "insights" elsewhere.

 

[jaybird]

This is the Judaism DIR. Please offer your "insights" elsewhere.

i wasnt offering insight on anything i was asking a question about Judaism in the "Do you have questions about Traditional Judaism" thread. for some reason i was thinking thats what this thread was for.

can someone please explain exactly what this thread is for?

 

[Deeje]

Could someone please tell me what is the difference between the Jewish faith embodied by the Law of Moses and the "traditional Judaism" we see today?
Were the "traditions" a later addition, and if so what traditions were added that were not found in the Mosaic Law?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Could someone please tell me what is the difference between the Jewish faith embodied by the Law of Moses and the "traditional Judaism" we see today?
Were the "traditions" a later addition, and if so what traditions were added that were not found in the Mosaic Law?

Thank you in advance.

Your question as posed is extremely difficult to answer in a brief post. In brief, "traditional Judaism" is informed by all Jewish Scripture.

I recommend that you start here and follow the links and follow the links as appropriate, particularly those in Jewish religious movements.